Robots is an animated science fiction comedy about material values, consumerism, and perseverance. Young robot Rodney Copperbotton follows his dream to become an inventor and leaves his home for the big city to meet his idol Bigweld whose company hires inventors and provides robots with spare parts. Upon arriving, however, Rodney learns that Bigweld has […]
This Black Mirror episode deals with the ethics of talent shows, consumerism, surveillance, and sensationalism.It features a system making people ride stationary bikes in order to earn “Merits”, a digital currency. Living in a room plastered with monitors they are forced to watch commercials or pay Merits if they want to skip them. When main […]
This animated film follows the life of a small robot called WALL-E. He spends his days collecting garbage on a deserted Earth, made uninhabitable by human behaviour. When he is visited by a probe, EVE, he falls madly in love with her and follows her across the galaxy back to her spaceship. There, on the […]
A classic case of a Robinsonade, this film explores the extraordinary life of Chuck Noland. As a systems analyst executive with a terrible work-life-balance, Chuck regularly travels for work. On his way to Malaysia, his plane crashes, leaving him stranded on an uninhabited island as the sole survivor. He spends the next four years with […]
The cartoon “American Dream Helper” by Steve Greenberg, published in the Marin Independent Journal in November 2001, critically investigates a contemporary version of the American Dream and outlines that the pursuit of happiness can only be achieved in reality, if one just adds enough money. Based on the scenery, a woman longing for a life of material […]
This documentary addresses a myriad of issues connected to the fishing industry. From overfishing to plastic marine debris and inhumane working conditions, the film brings to light many factors that could play a role in the destruction of the marine ecosystem. It raises questions surrounding industry practices, but also the consumer’s behavior: How important is […]
This dystopian comedy movie explores the power of media, commercialism and simulated reality. Truman has the all-American life: A loving wife, kids, a house complete with a picket fence… Then he starts noticing the occasional oddity. Whether it be his wife sounding like an infomercial or the people around him doing everything in their power […]
This short spoken word poem by Helen Mort praises wild places and outlines, how the speaker (a poet) adapts to them. “The Wild in Me” describes the inspiring and stimulating powers of nature that a poet finds in it and which help him or her to express oneself and being creative. In the video performance, […]
This collection of twelve dystopian short stories exposes institutionalised racism, social injustice, and the devastating effects of consumerism on contemporary and near-future society. As ‘dark satires’, they explore the interconnectedness of black identity and the socio-economical realities of the US. ‘The Finkelstein Five’, for example, reveals police violence and the prejudice of the US justice system […]
Richard Williams aka ‘Prince Ea’ reflects in his critical spoken-word-poem on the importance of education, the limitations and inequalities of the current school system in the US and the blindness of educational authorities and politicians. The voice, taking the role of a lawyer, who sues the school system, accuses that nothing had changed for the […]
Richard Williams aka ‘Prince Ea’ reflects in his powerful and ecocritical spoken-word-poem on a dystopian future of our world, which was destroyed by environmental pollution, the devastating deforestation of the rainforests and exhausted consumerism. The speaker apologises in front of the ‘future generation’ for not taking responsibility for the planet’s biodiversity – for putting profit […]
This documentary explores the world of fast fashion, consumerism and the many questions it raises. How much do clothing pieces actually cost to make and what is behind that number? What is the psychology behind overconsumption along with the ethical and environmental implications that follow? Suitable for older students, the documentary is ideal for discussing […]
A classic children’s novel about poverty and wealth, humility, kindness and greed. Charlie is an eleven-year-old boy who loves chocolate and lives with his parents and grandparents in a little hut close to a big city. They do not have a lot of money, but Charlie and his family live a happy life until Charlie’s […]
This satirical young-adult-novel problematises reality TV, sexism, stereotypes and body image. When the plane of 50 Miss Teen Dream contestants crashes on a desert island, it is time for them to re-evaluate their priorities. In isolation, they start to realise the crash may not have been an accident and odd incidents just keep piling up. […]
This movie drama (based on the novel Q and A) revolves around family, friendship and fate: Jamal grows up as a poor beggar in India but when he is 18 years old he finds himself as contestant in ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ nonetheless. Neither the show’s host nor the viewers can easily believe […]
A dystopian novel on social inequality, manipulative tendencies in the media and autocratic governments. In the trilogy’s first part, 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen lives in District 12, which is part of a post-apocalyptic society controlled by a brutal regime. On the Day of Reaping each district offers two teenagers as ‘tributes’ to participate in the Hunger […]